Identification of a murine pregnancy-associated serum protein ( 1-PAP) as a female-specific acute-phase reactant

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Abstract
A murine pregnancy-associated protein (.alpha.1-PAP) with .alpha.1-electrophoretic mobility and an estimated MW of 150,000 was present in serum from pregnant C57BL/10 mice but could not be detected in serum of mature nonpregnant females and males. During pregnancy .alpha.1-PAP was first detected on day 7, rose to maximum levels between days 12 and 14, and thereafter declined during the remainder of pregnancy and was undetectable by day 8 post-partum. The protein was also detected in the serum of females, but not males, subjected to an inflammatory stimulus. Examination of the .alpha.1-PAP levels during an acute-phase response in females demonstrated that the protein behaved as a typical classical acute-phase reactant, although the levels were only 10% of those observed during days 12 to 14 of pregnancy. .alpha.1-PAP therefore appears to represent a hitherto undescribed female-specific acute phase reactant in the mouse.
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